Judge Halts SSA Data Sharing with Musk’s DOGE Over Privacy Breach

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that the Social Security Administration (SSA) likely violated privacy laws by granting Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unrestricted access to sensitive data of millions of Americans. Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander called the move an unlawful intrusion, ordering an immediate halt to data sharing and access.

The judge criticized the SSA’s decision to allow 10 DOGE staffers access to vast records, including Social Security numbers, medical history, tax information, and bank data—data stored since the agency’s inception in the 1930s. One of the key systems DOGE accessed, Numident, is considered the agency’s “crown jewels.”

Acting SSA head Leland Dudek warned that the court’s order could affect all staff. “My anti-fraud team would be DOGE affiliates. My IT staff would be DOGE affiliates,” he said, adding that he would follow the order strictly unless clarified.

Hollander described DOGE’s data search as a “fishing expedition” lacking clear evidence of fraud, despite Musk’s claims that deceased individuals are receiving benefits. Former SSA officials noted that while the database includes millions of deceased people, their presence doesn’t indicate active payments.

The court sided with Democracy Forward and labor unions, who argued DOGE’s access was unauthorized and dangerous. The judge ordered DOGE to delete any data obtained unlawfully. The White House, backing Musk and DOGE, labeled the ruling a political attack on anti-fraud efforts.

DOGE has accessed at least 20 federal agencies, but courts have now begun placing limits. Hollander’s ruling marks a major legal blow to Musk’s oversight campaign, emphasizing that protecting Americans’ personal data must remain a top priority.